


Semper Graculus Assidet Graculo

by Maleficium



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-04-05 00:03:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4158003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maleficium/pseuds/Maleficium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Courier is taken by the Legion and questioned due to the catastrophic outcome of the Van Graff deal she'd played a part in.  Vulpes Inculta presides over her capture, and eventual captivity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction that I've ever shared with anyone, yayyyy! I will be posting chapter by chapter and going back and making edits afterward because I'm too impatient to just wait and post everything at once. 
> 
> Just a note : This is canon Vulpes. There is a reason he is one of five characters in NV with "very evil" karma. He is not cuddly, he is not enchanted by the Courier's dreamy eyes, he does not switch.  
>    
> Edit, as of 9/1/16 - I am working on more as we speak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New and improved! I did a great deal of editing to this story (for grammar, spelling, continuity, etc...)

She’d been ambushed in the quiet hours of the morning as she camped near an abandoned shack close to Cottonwood Cove. She’d stopped to rest, and as she hunched over the fire she didn’t see the men in red until it was too late. They destroyed her robotic companion Rex, stripping him of useful parts and hurling the rest into the river below. They’d let some of the new recruits beat her up a bit before throwing a bag over her head and transporting her to Fortification Hill.

At first she’d had no idea why they’d taken her, and so brutally. Anything was possible with the Legion. She’d had run-ins with them in the past, but nothing that resulted in open hostility - not towards her anyway. Rather than get involved in the seemingly endless political snafu between the Legion and the NCR or petty squabbles between smaller groups, Six travelled through the Mojave with no allegiances to industry, organization or tribe. It was easier that way. An ongoing tussle with amnesia ensured that personal history with all of the influences of the past did not conflict with her will to survive on her own. Regardless of her refusal to pledge loyalty to anyone but herself, she’d aided the NCR when asked (provided it benefit her in some way) and she’d carried out menial tasks for Caesar in exchange for safe passage through Legion territory, and of course caps.

 

  
***

 

She’d been stripped of the Van Graff combat armor before the trek back to the Fort, and had been transported wearing nothing but thin shorts and a tank top. These too were confiscated upon arrival and a slave handed her a dirty, grey tunic with a red X marked across the chest. She was quick to put it on, aware of many eyes on her as she did. 

 _The Van Graffs._   It dawned on her.  She was fucked. 

Vulpes Inculta presided over her intake, and it was he who placed the heavy metal collar around her neck.  She winced as it emitted a series of mechanical clicks as it locked shut.  She didn't like the way he looked at her as the collar locked into place. 

She’d met Inculta once before in Nipton. She’d been the first to arrive after the Legion had all but razed the town after viciously torturing its inhabitants.  She had disliked everything about him immediately, and was surprised that he’d let her pass without incident, especially considering she’d made her displeasure about the Legion's recent activity quite apparent.  His sneering, cocky demeanor was enough to make her hate him even before he’d ordered her to pass along his fucked up sermon about the so-called lessons taught by the Legion and the weakness of…what was the word he kept using?  Profligates.

Legend of Inculta’s cruelty preceded their meeting in Nipton. He was reviled by the NCR as well as independent tribes throughout the Mojave. He’d built quite a reputation for himself. She'd heard whispers in the Mojave Outpost and in encampments across the desert about “that sick fuck with the dog on his head.” 

Inculta was no less unpleasant to her than he had been in Nipton. He pulled up a crate and sat, staring at her without speaking for an unnecessarily long time. Something in his silence made Six deeply uncomfortable.

One of the Praetorian guards spoke. "Is this the bitch that helped the Van Graffs slaughter our boys? What is she doing here, she belongs on a cross!"

Inculta gave him a sharp look and held up his hand. “We wait for Lord Caesar.”  He turned to her again and smiled.

“So, Courier. There is much for us to discuss.”

  

***

 

Six was questioned until nightfall. Vulpes took advantage of her fatigue, and it was clear that he derived a heightened enjoyment from the tactics he was employing and relished the opportunity to fuck with her head. He did not lay a hand on her, but when he was through, she felt like she’d been fighting for days in a grossly mismatched skirmish in the arena.

Caesar returned, flanked by his Praetorian guards.  He sat and leaned forward in his throne.  He wore an unreadable expression as she was dragged into the central area of the tent, shackles clanking mockingly. A boot to the back of her knees forced her to fall before him.

“You have five minutes to give me a compelling reason as to why I should not have you crucified, gutted, and left for the vultures before nightfall”.

Six nearly choked on her words.  “Please, Caesar…Lord Caesar”, she begun.

Caesar leaned back in his throne, and furrowed his brow. Her voice shook as she continued. “I was unaware that the deal was to transpire the way it did. Gloria Van Graff lead me to believe that we were to carry out a transaction with an unspecified client and that is all of the information I was given before following her to the warehouse.”

“And you went along with this, without questioning…” 

“Yes sir, I was promised an enormous sum of money.”

Caesar scoffed. “Typical.”

“I did not fire my weapon even once.  I aimed it to appease Ms. Van Graff.  I think she was too preoccupied to notice whether or not I pulled the trigger.  I spent most of the time ducked behind boxes in the warehouse, until they slaughtered every last Legionary. There was nothing I could do, please try to understand!” 

“So you are greedy, _and_ a coward.”

“Sir, no, I -”

“And of course there were no witnesses, other than Ms. Van Graff and these NCR troopers.”

“And several of the Van Graff’s men.  I know at least one of them used to guard the Silver Rush.”

 Caesar sighed and rubbed his temples.  

 Six knew that the deal between the NCR and the Van Graffs had greatly inconvenienced Caesar, who was now missing valuable troops, money, and the supplies that his money had paid for.  As Six pondered this, she struggled to feel anything that resembled guilt or remorse.  Despite her disdain toward the NCR, she knew that she’d prefer to see them victorious if the alternative was a Mojave under Legion control.  She shuddered at the thought. 

Caesar beckoned on of the men close to the door. “Send a party to find the Van Graff morons.” The man saluted and exited the tent, followed by two large mongrels.  
  
Caesar turned to Vulpes Inculta.  “See what can be done about the Van Graff bitch.  I doubt she can be plucked from the safety of the Strip, but perhaps there is another way.” 

“My Frumentarii will attend to it.” 

Inculta turned his gaze toward Six, who anxiously looked from Inculta to Caesar and back again.  _So this is it.  They’ll either let me go or I’ll be crucified._ She felt ill. 

 Caesar leaned toward Inculta and they conferred in low voices for several minutes.   Inculta stood up straight, and nodded.  Caesar addressed Six.

 “Perhaps we could gain some clarity with a secondary source of information regarding your involvement.  Ultimately, I’m only interested in getting what the Legion is owed.  Several of my Legionaries have been sent to consult one of the Van Graff associates while my Frumentarii figure out how to deal with Gloria.  For now, we wait.  In the meantime, you will be kept in Vulpes Inculta’s tent. He will ensure that you remain fed and that your basic necessities will be taken care of. He will also be in charge of extracting any additional information that may illuminate the details of your colossal fuck up."

Six choked back a sob. She did not want to find out Inculta’s full capabilities in the realm of psychological warfare. Or any other kind of warfare. As highly as she regarded her general fortitude, she wasn’t confident that she would be able to withstand his brand of antagonism indefinitely.

Two of the Praetorians threw a coarse hood over Six’s head and forced her to her feet, escorting her to a barren corner in a not far from the central tent grouping. Inside, she was unceremoniously shackled to a metal shelving structure with just enough slack to lie on the dirty mattress that rested on the ground.

She remained chained there for what seemed like days. Legionaries brought her small amounts of food, just enough to keep her nourished. Her bruises ached, and she was certain her rib had been cracked during her capture. She slumped against the cold metal shelves miserably, racking her brain for potential ways to escape.  There was no sign of Vulpes Inculta, for which she was immeasurably grateful.  Loneliness in Inculta's tent seemed ten thousand times better than what she suspected was the alternative.  



	2. Chapter 2

The interior of the tent was flooded with the blinding light of the Mojave afternoon. This time it was Inculta himself who entered. Six blinked at his lithe frame, silhouetted against the brightness of the sun. The tent flap closed and her eyes struggled to adjust back to the dim light.

Inculta strode up to her, saying nothing. He strummed one of the chains that bound her tightly to the heavy shelving.

“Tsk. What a predicament you’ve found yourself in, Courier.”

Inculta and his Legion thugs were the last men she wanted to supplicate, but Six swallowed her pride. The shackles had begun to cut her uncomfortably and besides, she’d be damned if she’d die for something she wasn’t responsible for.

“Please, you must let me speak to Caesar.”

“Do you have new information for him?” he asked incredulously.

“No, but….”

“Caesar wants you dead,” Vulpes sneered. “Personally, I think you could be of use to the Legion, even if it requires your assimilation through servitude.  Here, I’ve brought you something. Drink it.”

He set an aluminum can full of liquid just within her reach and turned his attention to a table in the far corner of the tent, and hunched over a map. She readily accepted, and brought it to her lips. She made a face at its unmistakable metallic scent. Dirty water. She hadn’t had access to RadAway in weeks. She glanced longingly at the full crate of Sunset Sarsaparilla in the corner of the tent.

“ _Asshole_ ,” she muttered under her breath.

He turned back to her and raised an eyebrow.

“You should really thank me instead. I’m the only reason you are not currently hanging from a cross outside the encampment. For your sake, I suggest you mind your tongue. There are others who lack my compassion and I’d just as easily have them deal with you.”

She choked back spiteful laughter at Inculta’s claim to compassion.

“Servitude aside, there is a number of ways you could be…beneficial. Particularly with your skill set,” he continued. “Unfortunately for you, you have a long way to go before Caesar will readily accept that sort of proposal. I’ve done what I can. You will remain here until he makes a final decision.” He paused.  “That being said, there _are_ ways you could be useful in the meantime...”

Though she couldn’t see it, she felt his gaze briefly move across her body and she felt a strange sort of panic rise within her.  He tossed something at her and it landed at her feet.  A pile of red rags?   
  
“A slave will bring you the materials you’ll need to mend my tunic.  There will be other items to mend, but you’ll start with this.” 

He considered her for a moment, as though he were going to say something else, but abruptly turned on his heel and exited the tent.

The flap closed and she was once again left in the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Time crawled in Vulpes Inculta's tent.  With no way to keep time, and with little to occupy her, Six lost count of the days after two sunsets.  She passed the time half-heartedly contemplating ways to escape. None of them seemed particularly feasible, especially in her current condition. It would be difficult to run with a limp and a cracked rib, and she didn’t feel confident that she could sneak past the Legion mongrels either way. On one of her trips to the lavatory she’d swiped a bobby pin and a long metal object with a curved hook on her way back to the tent. She tucked both under the mattress.

Inculta did not make frequent appearances, and when he did, he left shortly after.  Regardless, Six could not stop thinking about what he said in Caesar's tent about her potential to be "useful".  She dreaded the implication, and could only imagine how a woman's usefulness was defined by an army of slavers and rapists. 

Despite her uneasiness, Inculta did not touch her during the brief moments he came to retrieve papers, pieces of armor, clothing, and sharp things from one of the metal cabinets that lined the wall of the tent.  He used her to cook while he consulted with other Legionaries, and to clean and mend his seemingly endless supply of torn clothing and armor, and to perform other menial daily tasks that were traditionally women’s work.  Six began to wonder why he was keeping her around.  Slaves were plentiful and as far as she could tell, she hadn’t been tasked with anything that set her apart from the others.  She was familiar enough with the Legion’s definition of punishment, and she was certain that domestic servitude wasn’t it. 

Six also began to suspect that Inculta might be toying with her.  There were times she thought Inculta uncharacteristically struggled to control himself when he was alone with her, leading her to believe that there had to be a reason that he didn’t descend upon her in the dark with every ounce of animal hunger within him.  Maybe he was keeping her waiting because he thought it was fun. 

Six stood, leaning against the cabinet.  She’d been staring at the corner, letting her mind wander because her body couldn’t.  She started when she noticed Inculta staring at her from across the tent.  She hadn’t heard him come in.    
  
“What the fuck!”     
  
Inculta smiled and said nothing. 

He stepped closer, stopping inches from her.  Without his dark glasses, his eyes were cold and sharp and Six found his naked gaze deeply unnerving.  Six pressed herself backwards against the metal shelves.  She could feel his breath on her neck and shoulders.  He stood there for what felt like minutes.  She squeezed her eyes shut and waited to feel his hands, or his teeth, or a knife.  A Legionary barked his name from outside of the tent and without a word, Inculta turned on his heel and left her alone in the dark once more. 

***

 Several afternoons later, Inculta entered the tent with a Legionary – a recruit by the looks of his flimsy armor. He turned his attention to the contents of a metal cabinet as the Legionary freed her from the cuffs that bound her to the tent and prepared the shackles she wore when led outside. During the seconds that Six was unbound, her mind raced as she considered her possibilities. Her growing motivation was shattered with one glance in Inculta’s direction. He eyed her suspiciously as though he could read her mind. She tried to maintain a neutral expression. He did not take his eyes from her as he tucked a dagger into the sheath on his belt.

“Hold your arms in front of you,” the Legionary snapped. Six jumped, and tore her eyes from Inculta. “I won’t ask again.”

What choice did she have?  She could refuse, and wait for Inculta to agree with Caesar and have her crucified, or worse. 

Inculta noticed her hesitation and narrowed his eyes at her. “Would you prefer to remain shackled here and await what is, at this point, certain death? Do what he says. Recruit or no, he is your superior.”

They led her back to Caesar’s tent. The rough grip of the Legionary irritated her and it took a great effort to suppress the urge to yank her arm away from him.

Six knelt in the same spot she had occupied last time.   Two men in recognizable black Kevlar armor knelt to the right of Caesar’s throne, hooded and bound. Two Herculean Praetorian guards flanked the Van Graff men with their arms crossed. The symmetry of their posture reminded Six of the bleached, austere stone friezes that she had sometimes come across in pages of pre-War books scattered across the Wastes.

Caesar perched on his throne, wearing a particularly cross expression. He nodded and flicked his wrist toward one of the guards and the hoods were yanked from each of the kneeling men.

Six recognized one of the men from the Silver Rush.  He glared at Caesar through swollen eyes and when he turned his head, she could see that the side of his face was a deep shade of blossoming purples, yellows and reds.  Six couldn't help but cringe. 

Caesar addressed the Van Graff's men in his characteristically haughty cadence. “The Van Graffs made an offer that they were preemptively unwilling to uphold - an offer based on calculated deception for the sake of their own temporary advantage. Additionally, the Van Graff's greed and stupidity led them to place trust in the NCR in place of what would have surely been a particularly advantageous alliance with the Legion. The Van Graffs have shown that they favor an organization that is threatening to crumble under its own weight as it balances on the frail shoulders of the weak, corrupt and incompetent. The Legion respects ambition, but as you can understand, we have little use for those who are disloyal and selfish. The association with the NCR is a secondary offense. Either way, the Legion will not tolerate subterfuge, theft, and greed.”

Six watched the face of the first man, and did not look away even as she saw him unable to suppress the urgent panic that palpably bubbled to the surface as Caesar finished his thought. “P-please, Caesar, we…”

“You owe me.  You owe the Legion.  Gloria will be punished, and the Van Graff legacy will crumble.  However, I am giving you both the option to live.  I assume that both of you know where the Van Graff’s financial assets are kept.  I also know that none of the Van Graff’s are aware of your capture, which makes things easier for both of us.  You will help my Frumentarii seize these assets in addition to obtaining the supplies the Legion is owed.  If this particular endeavor is successful, both of you will live.  If you do not agree to this generous offer, you will decorate a cross and my Frumentarii will indubitably find another way.  I will give you an evening to think it over.  I am sure that my Legionaries will be able to help you arrive at a decision before nightfall.  Mars help you if it turns out that the Van Graffs cannot provide what we are owed in the form of caps or the supplies we were promised”. 

The first man sputtered from underneath his gag.  His eyes widened, and his entire body started to shake.  The second man glowered at Caesar silently and said nothing, but Six could see the rivulets of sweat that were beginning to stain his shirt.  Caesar scowled contemptuously and beckoned his Praetorians.  The Van Graff's men were hoisted to their feet and led outside. 

Six would be lying if she’d said she felt more than the dullest twinge of remorse.  _Fuck the Van Graffs. If it weren’t for their selfish fucking plan, I wouldn’t be here. And fuck the NCR too._

Caesar turned and addressed the Courier.

“You have put yourself in an interesting position.  As far as I’m concerned, your greed and carelessness leaves you equally responsible.  It would be easiest to dispose of you in the same manner as all of the men who ever found themselves in the unfortunate position of kneeling there.” He gestured to his left. “However, you have proved to be instrumental in the success of several crucial missions that been advantageous for the Legion. The Legion does not punish helpfulness.  Nevertheless, you must atone for your transgressions, and pay the price for your greed.  So..." 

He leaned back in his throne and contemplated Six.  She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. 

"In lieu of traditional punishments, you will be kept here at Fortification Hill indefinitely.  You will be placed under close watch until it can be assured that you will not make mistakes that would put my men, and thus yourself, at a disadvantage."

Caesar paused and glanced at Inculta, who stood with his arms folded across his chest.  His expression was obscured by the dark goggles he wore under the shadow of his Vexillarius helmet.  

"From this point forth, you will belong to Vulpes Inculta. Obedience will be rewarded. Disobedience will not be tolerated as I’m sure Inculta is more than capable of demonstrating should the need arise. You will serve him, you will answer to his needs.  You will belong to one man officially, but ultimately you will serve the Legion.”

Six’s body went rigid and her face felt numb. She opened her mouth but could not speak. “I... You mean…”

Caesar held up a hand. “That will be all Courier.”

Six stared dumbfoundedly at Inculta who remained standing completely still. She thought one of the corners of his mouth was upturned ever so slightly. 

 _You will belong to Vulpes Inculta..._   The words reverberated in her head until they stopped making sense. 

Inculta nodded respectfully to Caesar who stood to leave and retreated into his tent 

"Vale.”

He turned to Six who still felt as though she were frozen in place. 

"Well, slave."  He emphasized the last word, lengthening each consonant ever so slightly.  He was mocking her. 

He extended a hand and gripped her shoulder possessively, and Six flinched.  His grip tightened.  He ordered her to her feet and yanked her upper arm when she did not comply immediately. 

"Caesar is owed thanks for his generosity.  But, there is time.”  He turned her and guided her towards the exit of Caesar's tent with an iron grasp on her shoulder. 

"Come."

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Six had been shackled back to the mattress and left alone in the dark once more.  She found it difficult to mask genuine surprise and confusion when Inculta handed her off to another Legionary and parted ways with her before reaching his tent.  He’d left without saying a word.  
  
Darkness fell, and Six’s mind raced as she stared upwards from the mattress.  Her shackles hurt, her collar hurt, her bruises hurt, and she was bored out of her mind.  For a courier, and especially a girl whose favorite activity was not staying in one place, confinement was almost worse than anything the Legion could do to her.  _I’d rather be crucified than stay in this goddamn tent for another minute.  Inculta’s tent.  Especially because it’s Inculta’s tent._ Six thought about what would have happened if she’d been gifted to Lanius instead, and quickly tried to think about something else.    
  
Inculta slipped into the tent hours many hours after the sun had set.  He paused, and seemed to listen carefully to determine whether or not Six was asleep.  She manipulated her breathing so it sounded slow, steady.  Inculta took his place on the cot at the far end of the tent and seemed to sleep soundly within minutes.  _Asshole,_ Six thought jealously.  Six must have fallen asleep shortly thereafter, because when she opened her eyes, light filtered through the fabric and Inculta was gone. 

  
***  


Six continued to be kept in seclusion for many days. She was constantly aware of the collar around her neck, which was fastened just tight enough to be a nuisance when she swallowed or turned her head.  At first it was maddening, but as time passed the discomfort dulled into nothing more than an awareness of its existence.

She hardly saw Inculta in the weeks following her capture.  He infrequently spoke to her during the time he spent in his tent and when he did, it was usually only to order her to perform some menial task for him.   
  
Six quickly learned what kinds of questions annoyed him.  She’d pushed him once about where he was going, when he’d be back, could she do something besides sit or mend clothing while he was gone and could she please speak with Caesar about making a deal because she still had unfinished business in the Wasteland.  He’d deflected her questions deftly, but she kept pressing until finally he grabbed her tunic and threw her back on the mattress.  Before she could react, he’d pulled a dirty rag from a nearby shelf and shoved it in her mouth, binding it to her face with a length of gauze.  

“The answer to all of those things is _no._ You will not ask questions.  You will not press me.   You are not my equal, whore.  You do not get to make demands, and If there is something that I care to tell you or that you need to know the answer to, then you will know.”  
  
Six nodded quickly when she saw the look in his eyes when she furrowed her brow at him.

Inculta spent few nights sleeping in the tent.  On the nights he did return, he would unfasten his armor and toss it aside carelessly, rub his temples and collapse into the cot on the other side of the tent.

Vulpes caught her looking at him once when he returned long past sunset.  Six had propped herself up against the shelving she was chained to, unable to sleep even if she wanted to.  She watched Vulpes throw the tent flap open and toss his armor on the table closest to him.  He winced and blood glistened on his shin as he pulled off his boot.  He glanced up at the sound of her manacles as she shifted.

“What are you looking at Courier?  Go to sleep.”

“You look like you need it more than I do.”

"What I need is only your concern when you are ordered to be concerned.”

Six felt every ounce of antipathy toward her situation rise to the surface.  Before she could stop herself, the energy that had built up after weeks of being chained to a mattress came spilling forth in a series of verbal bad decisions 

“May I ask what kind of arduous mission Caesar sent you on this time?  What variety of murder have you been directed to perform for the benefit of the mighty Legion?  You stink of your own blood instead of smoke so I’d imagine that your lesson plans weren’t quite as successful as they had been in Nipt-”

“Careful, _lupa_.  I may not break my slaves like Lanius, but I’m not opposed to employing some of his methods to remind them of their place.  Do not assume that my recent absence indicates a lack of ability to assert myself over you whenever necessary.  Believe me, there are a multitude of ways to exact compliance from a slave even in one’s absence.”

Six opened her mouth in protest but Vulpes stopped her.

“Would you like me to show you?”

“No”.  Six bit back her desire to continue to insult him. She wanted to goad him, to poke and prod just to see him upset.  She knew that it would be a stupid thing to do as long as she was a captive in the corner of his tent.  He knew that he would beat her if only because he wanted to and she didn’t feel like nursing new bruises. 

“You were gone for a long time,” she murmured instead.

Vulpes smiled to himself as he searched for something in a leather pouch.  “Did you miss me?”

Six said nothing and lay back on the mattress.  She stared at the ceiling in the dim light.  She had memorized the pattern by now, every stitch of the fabric, every grain of the wooden beam.

Vulpes dabbed a sticky substance from a glass jar on his shin.  He noticed her looking at a growing pile of bloody gauze at his feet.  “Go to sleep, whore”.

Of course Six detested him, but his absence made her anxious.  There was a large part of her that had grown to prefer his presence in the tent, particularly at night.  She still hadn’t gotten used to the sounds of the Fort, and every pair of booted footsteps that passed the tent filled her with dread.  Fearing one man was better than fearing the constant footsteps of an entire Legion of men.  As she drifted to sleep she thought about how much she hated that she did, in fact, prefer when he was there with her.

 

***

 

Various chores delivered her from the crushing boredom that otherwise plagued her every waking moment.  She washed blood and dirt from Vulpes’ clothing, and was shown how to mend more complex Legion armor.  She wondered if this was actually what Vulpes meant by “proving her usefulness”.  She thought about it, and desperately hoped so. Regardless, Six began to feel that anything would have been preferable to the monotony of being chained to a mattress for hours, led to the latrine twice a day by some boorish Legionary and washing and mending clothing, which was apparently the only thing she was trusted to do while Vulpes was gone.    
  
She remembered Vulpes mentioning her “skill set” shortly after she was captured.  She wasn’t sure what he’d meant.  There were many things she was good at, but she didn’t think the Legion cared about her science skill.  They already had slaves whose knowledge of medicine was much more advanced than hers.  She assumed Caesar would sooner see every robot in the entire desert scrapped than try to hack his way through outdated technology across the Mojave.  The Legion already had thousands of men who trained in hand-to-hand combat, and men and women with advanced melee skills were a dime a dozen.  Her sneak skill was high.  _Not high enough, or I wouldn’t be here,_ she thought bitterly.  But that was what the Frumentarii were for.  She shrugged, and placed the last stitch in the lining of a Centurion’s hip plate and returned to the tent, escorted by one of the Legionaries.  She was surprised to see Vulpes sitting on a crate near her mattress.

“Ave, true to Caesar,” her escort greeted Vulpes, before exiting the tent.

Vulpes ignored him and looked intently at Six as her eyes adjusted to the dim light.  His hand rested on his knee, extended in front of him and Six squinted to see what he was holding.  Two small objects – a bobby pin and a tool with a curved hook.  Six’s breath caught in her throat and she froze.  She’d forgotten that she’d nicked them.  She’d been unable to manipulate the locking mechanism of the heavy manacles with the bobby pin, and the metal tool proved useless as well so they’d stayed tucked between the mattress, forgotten about until now.

Vulpes said nothing as he stood.  He did not take his eyes from hers as he reached out and caught her arm.  He yanked her toward him, and she didn’t see the leather strap he held in his other hand until she felt it land hard across her thigh.  She cried out and immediately twisted forward, instinctually trying to protect herself but Vulpes caught both of her arms and pinned them in place with one hand.  He thrashed her thighs and her ass until she begged him in choking sobs to stop, to "please stop I'll do anything, stop".  He finally relented and left her gasping, crumpled on the floor with angry welts snaking across the lower half of her body.

He stepped over her and tossed the strap into an open metal box near the door and exited the tent without saying a word.  It didn’t register to her that he’d not replaced her shackles and she crawled toward the mattress out of habit and waited for sleep. 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Six perched on a cot in the medical tent.  She looked around and thought of what Arcade Gannon would think about the array of healing potions, salves, and herbal treatments.  She’d give anything for a stimpack, a chem, anything to dull the pain or alter her mind. 

A slave who called herself Siri brought salves and healing potions every other day to mend the wounds Six had sustained during her capture as well as the subsequent beating Vulpes had given her. Siri was friendly enough, and spoke more than the other slave girls. She talked excitedly about treatments she’d learned from her mother when she was a girl, and of herbal remedies that were specific to her tribe in New Mexico.

“Were you trained in medicine before…er, captivity"? Six asked as Siri rubbed a salve on a rough spot caused by one of her shackles.  The woman frowned when she Six lifted a leg, revealing the angry welts from Inculta’s belt.

“Yes. Turn over so I give you something to prevent further bruising.”

“Yeah? When exactly did you get captured? It sounds like you learned a lot about medicine that you wouldn’t have learned here in this shithole.”

“Four years ago. I was training to be a doctor.” Something about Siri’s demeanor shifted and Six wondered if she shouldn’t have brought it up 

“Huh…I’m sorry. Tough luck, huh? I can’t imagine having to mend the wounds of these fucking barbarians all day long.”  Six winced as Siri smoothed something cold over one of welts that wrapped around the inside of her thigh. “And the wounds inflicted by them,” she added.

Siri’s gregarious demeanor turned cold. “I’m happy that my medical skills are put to good use.”

Six opened her mouth to say something else, but stopped. She stretched herself gingerly back on the cot and stared at the ceiling.  She watched a fly futilely struggle from a spider’s grip in a web nestled between two of the tent’s wooden beams.

Six got the impression that commiserating between slaves was forcibly discouraged early on. Speaking ill of their situation, and thus speaking ill of the Legion likely never had the chance to become habit.

The other slaves were more cautious of Six than Siri was. All of them spoke softly and infrequently, which were undoubtedly learned traits, but as quiet as they were, Six sometimes overheard them talk furtively amongst themselves. She learned the most by remaining silent and allowing them to have furtive conversations in the brief moments that they thought they were outside of a man’s earshot. Six learned about Flagstaff.  From the sounds of it, it was a place that every woman at the Fort would rather be.  She learned the differences between those who were claimed by high-ranking men of the Legion, and slaves who were “general purpose” and thus considered common property. As personal property, owned slaves and wives were valued as such and were granted a certain amount of protection as a result.  Owned slaves’ fate was entirely at the discretion of their owner alone, though Six found little comfort in this when she considered the man she belonged to.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: details in this chapter and all following chapters subject to change. I'm in the middle of making some significant edits.

Vulpes returned at what she presumed to be morning, accompanied by two Prime Legionaries who obediently fell into place on either side of the tent flap.  Her sense of time was still frequently thrown off by irregular sleep.  Six blinked, and rubbed her eyes groggily.  She’d barely slept, as she had still not gotten fully used to the sounds of the camp, and the constant fear that accompanied being an unarmed and captive woman in Legion territory, regardless of what she’d learned about her status as an owned slave.  
  
Vulpes set another tin cup before her, as well as a small package of Cram.  He sat on a crate and waited for her to finish.   
  
“Thank you” she said reluctantly.  He ignored her.   
  
She stared at the Cram, and toyed with her fork.  _I am property of Vulpes Inculta_ , Six mused to herself.  She had murmured the phrase often during the quiet hours when she was left to her captive solitude, but the words always seemed hollow and meaningless.  _Property._ It still didn’t register.  It was like trying to convince herself that it would be perfectly reasonable to approach an adult Deathclaw and extend a friendly handshake.  She wondered if there was anyone looking for her.  She had unfinished business with a man who had hired her to deal with a pest problem near Sloan, and with a few other Wastelanders here and there who had hired her for menial tasks.  Even if there were, she doubted anyone she’d encountered in the entire goddamn desert would risk crossing the Legion for her sake.  Her refusal to align herself with any of the major factions across the Mojave had benefit her up until this point.    
  
Six noticed Vulpes staring at her.  She realized she hadn’t yet taken a bite of the packaged food he had handed her.   
  
“I’d advise you to finish that.  You’ll need your energy this morning.”  
  
Six furrowed her brow and looked at him quizzically.  
  
“I have a proposal - a way for you to barter for more…freedom.”  He paused at the last word, as though he was fully aware of the word’s almost comical inaccuracy when applied to her situation.   He snorted, as though amused at his own choice of words.  “Well.  Freedom from the ties that bind you to the interior of a tent.”

Six said nothing.   
  
“I’d like to determine exactly how useful you are in close combat”, he continued.  “Just a simple test… no weapons.  You will test your mettle against one of the recruits.  If that goes well, you will engage me in hand to hand combat.”  
  
He stood, and removed his baldric.  His weapons clanked to the ground and he held his hands up to demonstrate that they were empty.

  
“I will fight fair.  You have my word.  I will not strike at your face, and I will not aim to injure you beyond repair.  I will be watching to see how you respond to a variety of assaults and we will ultimately determine which of us is able to subdue the other the fastest.  If you prove that you are ready, I will make provisions for future training.”  
  
She felt a twitch of excitement and did not bother questioning what he meant by future training.  Close quarter unarmed and melee combat was one of the areas in which she demonstrated the highest skill.  She had no recollection of the training she’d received prior to her attempted murder, but muscle memory indicated that she’d had years of formal instruction and experience.    
  
The excitement she felt died down within seconds.  Six quickly began to feel very dubious about the proposition.  What reasoning could Vulpes have for needing to know her capabilities in the realm of any sort of combat?  And how could a Legion man actually be capable of entertaining the thought that a lone, unarmed woman might be able to defeat him in hand to hand combat?  _How could my usefulness in combat possibly enhance my uniform cleaning and mending skills,_ she thought to herself bitterly.  
  
She looked up at Vulpes and chanced asking a question that bordered on insolent.  “What relevance do combat skills hold for someone who is condemned to hauling packs up and down the hill all day long”? 

Vulpes laughed.  “I’m not sure where you got the impression that that is the kind of service I will require from you.”  He looked at her with an odd expression that made her whole body tense.  He looked down at the hand that was always wrapped tightly in a black leather strip, and she was glad that he didn't see her clench her fists.  “Caesar is performing an experiment.  That is all you need to know.  Now I suggest you finish your meal within the next five minutes or you will have missed your chance.  Eat.”   
  
She was willing to take the chance.  There was at least a minuscule opportunity that she could destroy the leader of Caesar’s Frumentarii in close quarters combat.  Unlikely, but not impossible.  A sliver of hope was better than nothing.    
  
Six realized that Vulpes had not mentioned what would happen if she was defeated.  She opened her mouth to speak just as the two Legionaries stepped forward and roughly took hold of her upper arms.  
  
“Hey.  HEY",  she cried but Vulpes had already stepped out of the tent.   She turned to the Legionary to her left.  “Excuse me, I need t-”  
  
“Silence, _canis”._  
  
She was thrust into the sunlight, and struggled to keep up with the stride of the Legionaries.  She blinked, trying to orient herself to her surroundings. Men looked up from their tasks to stare hungrily at her as she was led to a dusty ring littered with debris that included bones that lay scattered among bits of broken armor.  The gate closed behind her with a clang and she jumped.   



	7. Chapter 7

Vulpes motioned for one of the recruits to unshackle her.The shackles clanked as they were removed from her wrists and ankles.She waited for the recruit to unfasten her metal collar but he returned to his post.The shake in her legs was worrisome, and she desperately hoped the surge of adrenaline would negate her lack of sleep.Her jaw clenched in determination and she felt a fresh burst of confidence.  
  
Vulpes turned to her.The sunlight glared in the reflection of his motorcycle glasses.She hated not being able to see his eyes, but couldn't decide if seeing his gaze directly was more or less uncomfortable.

“So.  What say you, Courier?  Do note that refusal is not forbidden, but it would be most unwise”.

Six looked down.After a moment’s hesitation she nodded.Vulpes motioned behind her toward the gate.Six turned and saw a Legionary step into the ring.He was only a boy, no more than 13 or 14.He removed his armor to reveal a lanky frame.He removed his helmet and grinned at her, cracking his knuckles with all of the overconfident swagger of a teenager.Six looked him over. _Easy_.She tried to keep from smirking.  
  
The boy lunged at her inexpertly, and she deflected his attack with ease.She was upon him in seconds, mounting him.The boy raised his knees to attempt an escape and was able to roll her off of him.He tried to throw her to the ground with an overexaggerated movement.She moved behind him, locking him in place.A knee to the back, a tucked elbow, and he was on the ground.  He bit her, hard.He twisted her arm painfully and she thought she heard him growl. _A desperate move from a child who realizes his defeat is inevitable._ A strike to the throat and a quick punch to the solar plexus left him stunned, and doubled over in pain. 

Six stumbled to her feet, breathing heavily.  She waited for the boy to rise, but as the seconds passed, he remained bent forward, trying to catch his breath.  Six heard slow clapping.  She spat in the dirt after a glance at Vulpes, who made no attempt to hide his delight.  Six detested the way he smirked from underneath his goggles so much that it made her physically ill. 

“Well done, Courier!”  
  
Vulpes nodded to the guards and they dragged the boy toward the gates.He looked back at Six and shot her a look of unbridled hatred as he limped from the arena but Six was too fatigued to fully enjoy it.  
  
“So you can defeat a recruit.That much I suspected.Now we move from child’s play to a more challenging test of your abilities.”

Another gesture and a large, dark haired man emerged from behind the gate, a Veteran Legionary.  She recognized him as one of the men who had captured her.  Six had defeated men larger than him in unarmed combat and she emerged victorious, despite sustaining a heavy kick to the side.  Six clutched her bruised ribs and prayed that she would not see a Praetorian cross the gate's threshold next.    
  
As Six clutched her bruised ribs, she couldn't ignore the feeling that this was less of a test, and more of a game Vulpes was playing for his own amusement.  No Frumentarius would need proof of what she was capable of.  Vulpes Inculta was fully aware of her skills, her limitations, and her weaknesses.  As far as she knew, Vulpes knew everything about her.  Well, almost everything.

She watched the gate and it was dragged shut without spitting forth a new foe.  Her eyes moved to Vulpes and realized there were no more Legionaries coming through the gate.    
  
Vulpes circled her as he spoke.  "You did well.  You are skilled, no doubt.  Your body can move the way it needs to in order to prevent defeat, but for how long?  When was the last time you put your endurance to the test?"  She could feel his eyes move over her and she felt the discomfort that had become inextricably associated with his physical proximity to her. 

Six frowned at him.“Lose the armor.  You wanted to fight fair, remember?"    
  
Vulpes scoffed, but obliged.He untied his shoulder pads and shrugged them off.She’d hoped that he’d leave the red wool tunic he wore under the leather, as it’d make it easier for her to use against him.She was disappointed when he pulled it over his shoulders and tossed it aside.

He was more athletic than one would believe after only seeing him in his armor and tunic.  He rolled his shoulders and stretched and his body tensed.  Lean, solid muscle in his makeshift _baltea_ and dust covered jump boots.  Six looked down too quickly, and she knew he noticed.  

“And what do I get if I defeat you, aside from the absence of an oversized backpack?”  
  
“For starters, you will be the first to say you’ve defeated the leader of Caesar’s Frumentarii in unarmed combat.  You will be treated with the respect that such a feat deserves, and those who refuse to show the proper respect will be dealt with accordingly. You will also begin to have more opportunities outside of my tent, if you prove that you can handle that kind of privilege. Most importantly, I will immediately begin training you in similar ways the Legion trains its recruits and you will eventually have a place outside of this tent, permanently free from the fetters that bind you.Eventually”, he reiterated, as her eyebrows raised.   
  
“And if….if I am _subdued_ ….”Six spat the last word as though it left a foul taste in her mouth.

“If you lose?”Vulpes raised his eyebrows and laughed softly, as though he were sharing an inside joke with himself.  
  
Six crossed her arms impatiently. 

“If you lose, you will be forever reminded of your inferiority.  Your collar will remain latched, and you will know how it feels to be a common slave instead of the owned, cherished property of a Frumentarius.  You will spend your days in the tent of whichever Legionary can use you the most on any given day.  You will be common property, fodder for recruit and Centurion alike.  I will have first dibs, naturally.”  

Her jaw clenched and she found new motivation as adrenaline surged through her.She would not lose.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh I hate writing sex scenes. 
> 
> WARNING: Things get a bit rapey. Vulpes reminds us why he is categorized as "very evil". 
> 
> edit: Things get a lot rapey. Sorry, not sorry.
> 
>  
> 
> As with all of the other chapters within this work, I tend to post and edit and post again. Spelling, grammar, and details all subject to change and correction. >_

Six blinked, and the world swam in front of her.  She was suddenly aware of the sun, and it was blinding and much too hot.  The air felt unusually thick.  She sputtered, spitting out dirt.Instinctually, she tried to push herself up but her arms wouldn’t cooperate.She visualized a doctor’s bag, or a stimpack, or anything to jam into her head to stabilize her vision.She pushed her arms out again and was horrified to find that they were pinned to her sides, and that Vulpes’ arm was locked around her throat, wedging her neck between his forearm and bicep.  She became aware of the weight of his body pressing against the entirety of hers.   
  
Every part of her tensed as she panicked.Vulpes’ grip tightened and she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. _This is it.I will die here with my face in the dirt with Vulpes Inculta on top of me_.   _Go fucking_ _figure. _  
  
Six jolted as she regained consciousness a second time.She found herself able to stumble to her feet and she did so, choking on the dusty air as she desperately gasped for breath.    
  
Vulpes was standing with his arms crossed, wearing an impossibly smug expression that filled every fiber of her being with anger and hate.“Well, Courier...” His tone was matter-of-fact.  
  
Six felt dizzy.Still delirious, her hand went to her hip instinctively, but she grasped at air.  
  
Vulpes wagged his finger at her, grinning wolfishly. “Ah, but what’s this?The gesture of a sore loser, attempting to alter the terms of engagement to unfairly bend the outcome in her favor?You fought well, but your responses lead me to believe you are not yet ready for what I originally had to offer.   Perhaps I will allow you to try again in several weeks.  Unlike Caesar, I am not convinced you are destined to be as ineffective as the other slaves.You show promise, and thus, purpose, provided you exhibit compliant behavior.  I have not forgotten the lockpick, or your inclination toward insolence and I will warn you only once that in the future, punishment will be much more severe.”

Her heart leapt into her throat, and Six opened her mouth to argue but could not find her words.  
  
"Do not think that this means you will be allowed to continue to waste space in my tent. You will continue to perform the duties you have been tasked with as well as being given _additional_  responsibilities."  
  
Before she could contemplate what was supposed to happen next, Vulpes was inches from her.He spun her away from him, gripping her wrists tightly behind her back with one hand.  
  
Without thinking, she began to pull away and his grip tightened painfully.“I wouldn’t.”  
  
Vulpes strode purposefully toward his tent, pushing her ahead of him.She could feel many eyes on her as she was led forward.Her face reddened and she wanted nothing more than to sink like water into the thirsty Mojave ground.  
  
He forced her through the flap of the tent and before she had time to protest, he had her pinned against a cabinet against the wall.She looked up at him and regretted it immediately.His expression was ravenous, and his eyes glinted savagely.  
  
“ _Ad Victorem Spolia,”_ he growled.  
  
She felt his hand over her mouth before she realized she was yelling.She bit his hand instinctively.Vulpes slapped her hard across the face. In a fluid motion, he grabbed her arms and pulled her tunic, sliding it up and over her head.He inhaled sharply at the sight of her bare flesh.  
  
This was everything she feared, everything she had been warned of, and the only thing that surprised her was that it had taken this long.She had held on to the foolish hope that the worst of Vulpes Inculta was demonstrated during her intake but dread settled in the pit of her stomach when she realized that she’d likely not seen a fraction of what he was capable of.  
  
“I’ve been patient.I am aeons ahead of you in the practice of self-control, but I will admit that it has been difficult.  That being said, witnessing the desperate uncertainty about whether or not I would claim you and physically mark you as mine was more fun than having you right away." 

"Fuck you," Six spat.    
  
Vulpes laughed.  "Not with that attitude.  Though it might make the experience more interesting for both of us." 

“Fuck you Inculta, I would rather die than serve as a Legion whor-"   
  
He leaned close.  “We can arrange that,” he hissed.

Vulpes lowered his face into her exposed neck and breathed deeply.  “You clearly have a ways to go before you are ready for the privileges I offered earlier.  I will admit I’m disappointed, though not surprised.  Perhaps taming you will be more involved than I realized."  He smiled to himself as he held her wrists and pulled a length of rope from a pouch on his belt.  "That is not to say that I won’t enjoy the process.”    

Six’s eyes darted frantically, trying to find anything at all to hit, stab or bludgeon him with.

He moved behind her and she yanked an arm from his grip and thrust her elbow backwards as hard as she could.She heard it make contact and felt a rush of air escape his lungs.His arm was around her neck in a split second, and everything went dark. 

 

*****

  
Six blinked.As she came to, she felt colder than before, and realized that she was bound in a standing position with her back against several stacked crates with a series of crude knots that held her arms behind her and her legs slightly apart. She was completely naked.  He had even taken her sandals.    
  
Vulpes sat on a Sunset Sarsaparilla crate several feet from her and leaned forward when he saw her eyes open.  He stood.  Six felt exposed, helpless and small.She yanked away from his touch when he lightly grazed her thigh and he slapped her hard across the cheek.She felt tears welling up and she squeezed her eyes shut.  She could feel his breath close to her lips as a rough hand met her collarbone and slid further down to cup her breast.  Vulpes breathed in deeply as his hand travelled up and closed around her throat.  Six found the gentleness of this gesture unnerving.His left hand remained around her throat as he slid the other hand further down, past her navel, across her thigh.She inhaled sharply as his fingers curved to find the soft, vulnerable flesh between her legs.He ran a finger over her cunt.  The touch had an immediate physical effect - a warm wave of disgust and...something else washed over her.  A whimper escaped her lips and she futilely tried to writhe away.His hand tightened around her throat and he pushed his fingers further, invading her.  Shame and guilt guided Six as she used all of the force she could muster as she tried to yank her body from his grasp despite her limited movement.  Vulpes swore, and used all of his weight to slam her against the crates again. He held her jaw with an iron grip.    
  
"Open your eyes."  She didn't.  His grip around her face tightened.  " _Open your fucking eyes_ ," he hissed.  His face was inches from hers and his gaze was excruciating. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it, Courier?  I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at me since I’ve brought you here.”

  
Six said nothing.Instead she stood perfectly still.She refused to grant him the satisfaction of a response.  
  
Vulpes tested her further.He sharpened his tactic:“This is what you wanted all along, to be a little whore for the Legion…” He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear.“Particularly considering your past…. _indiscretions_ ”.He emphasized the last word.  
  
Her eyes opened wide and every muscle in her body suddenly felt too tight.There was no way he could have known, it was impossible.  How could he have known?He looked down at her in mock surprise.

“Oh, you thought I wasn't aware?  The Legion has eyes and ears in all places.  Not even death can hide information from my Frumentarii."  

In a brief moment of recklessness she retorted.  “Too bad the Legion’s vision couldn’t reach the Van Gra-”

  
Vulpes’ eyes flashed and he slapped her twice across the face, harder than before.She failed to hold back tears. “I should throw you to the dogs, or perhaps throw you naked into the recruit tent so your existence may serve at least one useful purpose before you’re crucified and left as tidbits for the vermin of the wastes”, he snarled.His expression softened.“…but who can blame you?Women respond to stress in…unfortunate ways.I suppose it can’t be helped."  He sighed impatiently.  "Now, whore.  Are you ready to behave?"  

He untied her and pushed her toward the mattress.  Against her better judgement, Six wrenched her arm from his grip, as if he would have allowed her to break free, to charge naked through Fortification Hill, past the guards at the gates and into the desert.  He grabbed her in a split second and threw her.  She landed hard on the mattress and before she could pull herself up his boot was on her chest.  

"Disappointing."    
  
Instinct overcame defiance and Six looked up at Vulpes pleadingly.  "Please, Vulpes, please let me go.  I will train harder, I'll do a better job at sparring next time, I just need to get enough sleep, and I don't know what you want from me exactly, but if you tell me I'll-"

Six was surprised to see a grin creep across his face.  “This.  This is where I want you.  Desperate, begging.  It's a step closer to compliance.”  His boot pressed harder into her chest and she had to struggle to draw breath.  

Six was about to hurl another insult at Vulpes, but froze when she saw his expression.  To her horror she realized she'd been writhing against the weight of his boot.  Vulpes looked absolutely beside himself.  Six immediately wanted to rip the smug half-smile from his face and felt a fresh surge of anger rise to the surface. 

“Fuck you."     
  
He snorted.  “You'd like that, wouldn't you?”

Vulpes took his boot from her chest. "Would you like to find out what happens if you try to get up?"  Six laid back down immediately.  Without taking his eyes from hers, he undid the laces of his _balteus_ and pulled his red tunic over his shoulders.  He knelt and put his mouth next to her ear and held her against the mattress with a firm hand around the front of her neck.

  
“I have been very lenient with you.  I have not told Caesar of your recalcitrant behavior.  If I choose to, do know that it is beyond my power to stop him from repurposing you as a common Legion bitch, no different from the snarling mongrels we keep in the big pen on the eastern part of the camp.  You know why we take extra good care of the healthiest females, don't you?  That will be your purpose until he inevitably decides to string you up on a cross and make you an example to every man and woman who crosses the Legion and expects to be treated otherwise.”

“I hope y-”

 He was on top of her in less than a second and his hand found her mouth as he held her to the mattress with the weight of his entire body.  He forced his fingers into her mouth, deep enough to make her choke.  She cried out and gagged as he pushed his fingers deeper.  He forced his knee between her legs and she saw a strange, wild expression that made her wonder if his grip was going to tighten around her throat for good this time.  She pushed herself against him.   _Now.  Do it now._ _Just fucking get it over with already._

Six suspected he would have left her there to go mad waiting for the inevitable if he’d not succumbed to his own desire.  He pushed her legs further apart and entered her easily.  She gasped and her muscles tensed as a mixture of panic, confusion and desire all clamored for recognition.  He thrust into her savagely. 

“I need you to tell me you’re sorry.  Tell me you’re sorry for all of the trouble the Legion spent on your capture.  Likewise for the loss of my men in the Van Graff incident and for being such a belligerent little cunt once you arrived here.  Apologize convincingly while I take the only thing I really want from you and perhaps you won’t ever have to scream your sorrows to the Mojave sky as you are lashed to a cross and used to decorate the entrance of the Fort.”  Vulpes felt tears spill onto his hand.  She whispered something hoarsely.  

“Louder." 

“I’m….sorry,” she choked.   
  
"Again."   
  
"I'm sorry," she sobbed into his hand.    
  
“Good girl...”  
  
Vulpes fucked her like he hadn't felt the flesh of a woman in months, though Six knew that was unlikely.  She felt herself tighten around him as his pace quickened.  She cried out involuntarily, a strangled noise.  She desperately tried to push the white hot feeling back, and hoped he didn't notice her thighs clench around his hips.  The last thing she wanted was to give Vulpes the satisfaction of knowing that some part of her enjoyed what he was doing to her.   She must have been unsuccessful because Vulpes made a satisfied noise and grinned into her neck.  "That's what I thought _."_   _Fucking arrogant prick,_ Six thought to herself.  

When he was finished with her, he stood and stretched.  He didn't bother retying her to the mattress right away.  Six stared at the ceiling as he refastened his belt.  

To her surprise, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.  "I will return at nightfall."

 


	9. Chapter 9

Vulpes fucked her again when he returned. He did not speak as he approached her. He unchained her, and waited. Six did not move. He knelt, never taking his eyes from hers. She merely blinked at him.

“Good girl,” he murmured, and the corner of his mouth turned up in a half smirk. Six felt nauseous and looked away.

She did not cringe or otherwise resist when he turned her over and slid her underwear down past her hips. She was silent as he pushed himself into her. Vulpes was surprised, but seemed pleased. She thought she heard him laugh softly to himself.

He smelled like he always did, like smoke, and sweat, and iron. His scent filled her nostrils and she couldn't remember the last time she'd ever even noticed a man's smell enough to actively think about it. Vulpes Inculta always exuded a particular kind of conceited, self-aware dominance but it was carefully cultivated. Controlled. Now that power felt unconstrained, as though the mere essence of him would tear you open and leave you twitching in the dirt if it noticed you looking.

Vulpes grabbed her hair and pushed her face into the mattress as his rhythm quickened and his fingers dug painfully into her shoulders as he released himself into her. He relaxed and let his weight crush her against the mattress while he caught his breath. Six stared blankly at the stack of crates she had been affixed to hours ago. She didn't notice him sit up.

“Courier...?" Vulpes narrowed his eyes at her, quizzically.

Six hoped he hated her lack of reaction. She hoped it ruined any satisfaction he would have otherwise felt.

“What. I mean yes. Yes Sir”.  She caught herself.

Vulpes paused, and she thought he was going to either congratulate her correction or reprimand her for having to self-correct. He did neither. “I would almost have preferred a struggle,” he mused, and stood to stretch.

He pulled on his tunic and armor, apparently preparing to leave again. Six wondered what hapless town the Legion was off to obliterate this time.

“A Legionary will assign you new chores tomorrow. When I return there will be new slaves to train. You should be prepared to show those who are ready how to properly mend Centurion armor. Our stockpile of extra armor is dwindling. Your repair skill is certainly high enough now to teach that skill to others, yes?”

Six nodded.

“Good.”

Vulpes snuffed out the light in the lantern by the door and soon the tent was as dark and silent as it was before he’d returned. Six wasn’t sure what she felt. Numb? Maybe. But there was something else. As Six closed her eyes and tried to focus on anything but the warmth running down the inside of her thigh, she couldn’t push aside the disquieting notion that she didn’t completely hate what Vulpes had done to her. She remembered what it felt like to have him inside of her, and while the thought was accompanied by shame and revulsion, she thought about what it would be like next time, and how soon she would get to have it. Six groaned and she buried her face in her elbow and waited for sleep to liberate her.


End file.
